The full session of the Granadilla de Abona Town Council, located in the southern region of Tenerife, has unanimously resolved to regulate the holiday rental sector within the municipality, which currently comprises 1,918 properties dedicated to such accommodation activities, accounting for 9% of the total.
The mayor of Granadilla, Jennifer Miranda (PSOE), stated that the new regulations will enter a public consultation phase lasting 30 days. “This is part of a set of measures and the strategy being initiated by the local government to address the overwhelming housing situation that is the primary challenge for the municipality and the Canary Islands,” Miranda highlighted.
The regulations stipulate, as per the municipal corporation, that “properties constructed in compliance with urban planning regulations and land use directives, which possess the necessary permits, enabling titles, and requisite authorisations, may engage in holiday rental activities as established at the time of construction.”
Conversely, they specify that “properties that violate planning laws, those under public protection or development schemes, or those located in areas identified as stressed cannot be utilised as holiday homes.”
Jennifer Miranda calls for “the courage” from the Government of the Canary Islands to consider the requests submitted by Granadilla de Abona, via the FECAM, which involve “instigating a moratorium on holiday rentals and establishing an inspection body to tackle the alarming state of unauthorised buildings.”
The first deputy mayor and Councillor for Urban Planning, Óscar Delgado, emphasises that the regulations aim to “organise, control, and ensure the equilibrium of an activity that we recognise as valuable, yet also acknowledge its downsides.”
According to the Councillor for Municipal Public Services, Marcos Antonio Rodríguez, this ordinance is “a crucial tool, within the authority of municipal administrations, to address the urgent housing crisis” in Granadilla de Abona.
The mayor has confirmed that with this regulation, “the availability of properties on the market can be increased,” as the various uses of the new properties designated for holiday rentals will be regulated and restricted following the implementation of this ordinance.
